The power could shift toward Georgia after winning back-to-back Natty’s, but Alabama could remind them who’s in charge while Nick Saban’s still coaching.

The SEC West is likely a race between Alabama and LSU. Nick Saban chewed his own tongue while watching Georgia dominate TCU in the National Championship, but it’s the motivation he needs to put fire under his program’s ass. LSU is right on Bama’s for the title again with pressure thanks to LSU’s women’s basketball team and men’s baseball team winning their 2023 championships. Meanwhile, Jimbo Fisher has Bobby Petrino on staff to improve the offense and challenge for the West and more. Mississippi State goes onward after Mike Leach’s passing (we’ll miss you coach). Ole Miss hopes to sustain after a surprising early run last season. Arkansas tries to avoid a decline in 2023 as long as quarterback KJ Jefferson stays healthy. Hugh Freeze returns to the SEC West as the Auburn coach. Bad news for Alabama and the rest of the division someday?

Meanwhile, Georgia’s the beast of the East, but can Tennessee run with them? Kentucky’s new quarterback Devin Leary could make the division interesting, and so does South Carolina if quarterback Spencer Rattler could make that upward trajectory in consistency. Florida has questions at quarterback and a few other areas. Missouri could surprise with an improved defense, but the offense has glaring issues for an Eli Drinkwitz offense. Vanderbilt talks bowl season and that could become reality.

SEC EAST

GEORGIA BULLDOGS

The Bulldogs triumph once again unblemished and nearly unchallenged. They lose players per usual but should still dominate most of their schedule and return to the playoffs. However, how does the roster carry on without Stetson Bennett? He was the unquestionable leader and baller to the roster for three seasons, including back-to-back National Championships. Carson Beck is set to be starter going forward and has talent work with. They could start 10-0 before travelling to Knoxville for what should be the biggest game of the year. There could also be subtle traps prior to the trip (South Carolina, Missouri, Ole Miss, injuries). As long as they avoid complacency, expect Georgia’s SEC title victory and a national title three-peat pursuit.

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS

The Volunteers surprised last season. Under the leadership of Hendon Hooker, Tennessee on a 9-2 run before his season-ending injury. In comes Joe Milton, who finishes the season strong by outscoring the last two opponents 87-14. Now, the hype surrounds Milton, who has a cannon arm and athleticism to extend drives. However, his accuracy will be monitored and so his response to the hype, and their defense must improve. Coverage was one of the main issues after allowing big plays and 49 points in a win against Alabama and 63 in a loss against South Carolina. They must clean that up if they want to compete for an SEC title and playoff spot.

KENTUCKY WILDCATS

The Wildcats could play spoiler in the East division. They return plenty of offensive talent and add NC State quarterback transfer Devin Leary in the fray. While healthy, he’s a difference and dynamic as a runner and passer. He’ll rely on pass catchers Dane Key, Barion Brown, Tayvion Robinson, and the tight ends. Vanderbilt transfer Ray Davis ran for 1,000 yards before, so his presence on the field makes life easier for the QB. Defense has enough talent to make life difficult for some opposing offenses, but hopefully, they have enough depth to compete against good competition. Their early schedule is optimistic for a 5-0 start. Once they hit October, it’s a tough three-game stretch. November won’t be pretty with three games on the road in the last four weeks. If they play it right though, a home game against Alabama could be “tricky” interesting. The Wildcats will be in the middle for potentially third place or one spot higher.

MISSOURI TIGERS

Missouri could make a slight jump this season, but how much of a jump? They return the majority of their starters on both sides, including their kicker. The offense is talented enough to compete against plenty of competition, but quarterback Brady Cook must improve to ensure their progress. Mizzou’s defense could improve with eight starters returning, led by defensive back Ennis Rakestraw Jr. They could win their early schedule, but they must bounce back against Kansas State at home after a shellacking they took from them last season. After that, they enter October dealing with the most challenging SEC opponents on their remaining schedule. Better quarterback play is vital to Mizzou’s potential success.

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS

The Gamecocks had a stunning stretch of eight wins in the last 10 games of the season, including an upset over Tennessee and road wins at Kentucky and Clemson. However, they may not have that benefit again. Their early schedule is brutal and it’s unclear if their depth can overcome the challenges before Halloween. Special teams will again play a key part in coach Shane Beamer’s scheme. Albeit, they have quarterback Spencer Rattler for the second straight season, he’s ebb-and-flow on the field. He must find consistency to make the offense a bit more dangerous than last season. Defense must stop the run to give themselves an opportunity against the best in the SEC. South Carolina won’t surprise anyone and depth will be mightily tested. If Rattler, the offensive line, and the defense improve throughout the season, they will be in the mix for second or third place.

FLORIDA GATORS

Florida is an SEC wild card. Quarterback Anthony Richardson’s gone to the NFL a bit earlier than expected, but he led a team that wasn’t exactly elite to begin with. Albeit, they return guys like running backs Montrell Johnson Jr. and Trevor Etienne, receiver Ricky Pearsall, edge player Princely Umanmielen, linebacker Shemar James, cornerback Jason Marshall Jr., punter Jeremy Crenshaw, and add transfers like quarterback Graham Mertz (Wisconsin) and safety R.J. Moten (Michigan). Otherwise, the roster lacks depth and is in need of improvement to survive another season against the SEC. If they can’t defeat Utah and win early, Florida’s looking at less than a six-win season.

VANDERBILT COMMODORES

Vanderbilt surprisingly did wonders in Year 2 under Clark Lea. Winning five games, including back-to-back upsets at Kentucky and home against Florida provided hope for a bowl season. The offense showed promise behind quarterback AJ Swann and receiver Will Sheppard. They return most of their offensive line and hope for better production from the running back position. If their defense improves and disrupts some of the mid-tier SEC opponents, they have a chance. Linebacker Ethan Barr, safety Jaylen Mahoney, and defensive tackle Daevion Davis have years of experience and must lead by example to improve the overall defense. Vandy could start 4-0 if they can defeat Wake Forest on the road. After that, all they need is two wins somewhere and the Commodores bowl. Simple.

SEC WEST

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE

Nick Saban was at Los Angeles from start to finish of Georgia’s dominance over TCU and college football. After coming away undefeated, SEC champs, and National Champs, Saban dealt with the Dawg population before returning to Tuscaloosa. I can’t imagine how boiled he was witnessing the whole thing while Bama sat at home watching it. They could’ve lost more than two if they failed to survive three more one-possession games (Texas, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss).

Experience, transfers, and more high-end recruits are always good in Tuscaloosa, but fans are weary of the quarterback situation. Jalen Milroe has experience, Ty Simpson has potential, and Notre Dame Tyler Buchner could take the job thanks to new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees. However, he might not be the answer this season since Milroe and Simpson are in line for the start. If the quarterback situation is that worrisome, revert to what made Alabama intimidating and formidable: Running the god dang football!!! Last season was the first time a running back failed to reach 1,000 yards since 2018. They have depth to pound the rock, but someone must stand out. Honestly, Alabama has a challenging schedule and plenty of trap games, so the QB position must be resolved.

LSU TIGERS

The Tigers came out of nowhere in the Bayou to put on a strong showing. They had playoff opportunities if it weren’t for their blunder against Texas A&M in their last regular season game. Despite that, Brian Kelly turned around a down-on-their-luck LSU team into what could be a formidable team in 2023. Quarterback Jayden Daniels returns after passing for 2913 and running for 885 (17 pass TDs and 11 rush TDs). He accounted for the majority of the offense, but hopefully he becomes more of a passer this season. The running back position is a major need if the team wants to compete for back-to-back SEC West titles.

Defense should be fine, but the secondary returns only one starter and two transfers while working in a new starter and a true freshman. Defense will be led by Oregon State transfer Omar Speights with young risers defensive tackle Maason Smith (recovering from ACL injury) and Harold Perkins Jr. The Tigers won’t sneak up on anyone this season. Defense is young while the offense is par at best, even with Jayden Daniels carrying the offense. Winning the SEC West hinges on the running backs, and a young defense maturing quick to keep up with Alabama.

TEXAS A&M AGGIES

The Aggies expectations were on a Crimson Tide level because they out-recruited Alabama last season. I ignored the hype because there were too many replacements and youth on the roster. Alabama has no problem reloading in more than one position, but this is new territory for the Aggies and Jimbo Fisher. Believe it or not, Fisher’s on the hot seat. Winning the SEC West is a bit of a ceiling, but the majority of their roster either started or gained experienced and should improve all-around this season.

The offense should improve, and it starts with quarterback Conner Weigman. The five-star recruit showed promise after last season. He dealt with ranked Ole Miss, at Auburn, and helped upset #5 LSU in the last game of the season. This should build his confidence, and he has plenty of talent across the board he can go to. There’s promise at most positions, but the concern comes from the trenches. That is a problem when facing SEC competition. Petrino and defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin have their job cut out and that must be addressed by season opener. The SEC West shows more physicality than the SEC East. Outside of overcoming the West, A&M also faces Miami, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Connor’s maturity, the young roster’s maturity, and the trenches on both sides are keys to watch, and it’ll determine if Fisher can make this program finally formidable enough to compete for the SEC title game.

OLE MISS REBELS

Ole Miss has two paths in 2023: improvement or regression. They were resilient with eight wins and were once ranked in the Top 10 with a par roster filled with transfers. They return 14 starters with a few added transfers, but it’s unclear if they can repeat with similar results. Quarterback Jaxson Dart returns, but Oklahoma State transfer Spencer Sanders competes for the starting job. No matter who wins it, running back Quinshon Judkins leads the offense. Can the Rebels finally have an answer on defense? They have a few names like safety Isheem Young, and ends Cedric Johnson and Khari Coleman return, but the overall roster wasn’t great to begin with. After their lackluster performance in the second half of the season, can new defensive coordinator Pete Golding remedy the issue to give the overall Rebels squad a chance in the West? Their first three games are promising, but Tulane is a trap game. Furthermore, they must find answers against the SEC West and Georgia while avoiding mistakes against an optimistic Vanderbilt.

ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS

The Razorbacks return key components to Arkansas’s roster like quarterback KJ Jefferson, running back Rocket Sanders, guard Brady Latham, defensive end Landon Jackson, linebacker Chris Paul, USF transfer linebacker Antonio Grier and safety Hudson Clark. Unfortunately, they felt the sting of departures and hurts their depth in ways you can’t imagine. Fortunately, they brought in key transfers to fill some holes, but other players getting starting opportunities are unproven. It’s not easy to hear this, but Arkansas could see a slight regression due to depth and a challenging schedule. Keeping Jefferson and Sanders healthy is paramount for the program.

AUBURN TIGERS

Hugh Freeze returns to the SEC West after temporary success at Liberty. He settled in Auburn and knew about the West’s expectations and the Auburn culture. Freeze has a tall task to return the Tigers back to their traditional ways. It all starts in the trenches, which he addressed in the portal. Luckily, he returns Marcus Harris and Jayson Jones on the defensive front. He’ll have plenty more return on defense while he plans to develop the offense to some capacity. Quarterback Robby Ashford was slated to start, but Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne arrived in time to win the job outright. Running back Jarquez Hunter is slated to have a big year. One of the more important positions is special teams, and Auburn could have it in punter Oscar Chapman to manipulate field positioning while they hope Alex McPherson (Bengals’ kicker Evan’s younger brother) can make some early headway when points matter. The early schedule is an opportunity to showcase Freeze’s Tigers before SEC play. If he does this right, Auburn could surprise in more ways than many will assume with an underrated roster.

MISSISSIPPI STATE BULLDOGS

Mississippi State moves on in a new era without Mike Leach. Zach Arnett takes over and we’re all wondering what their offensive identity will be. Arnett brought in new offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay to change to a balanced-type offense. Quarterback Will Rogers still commands the offense, and plenty of talent and experience is there. Can everyone adjust to the new type of offense before they play Arizona? Defense, by some surprise, played well overall last season. However, they allowed 33.8 points in a four-game stretch against Kentucky, Alabama, Auburn, and Georgia (went 1-3). Unfortunately, they lose most of their coverage led by Emmanuel Forbes (Washington Commanders), and the secondary could struggle if they fail to address that position. Mississippi State is expected to regress this season. It’s not that the talent isn’t there, it’s the level of competition in a series of stretches that could leave the Bulldogs battered and bruised without proper identity.